Fidelity
by Athena Solaris
Summary: NaruSaku, drabbles, multichap: Buidling a committed relationship takes time, effort, and a lot of guts. It's never easy, and all we can hope is that we make the right choice when the time comes.
1. Sakura: Status Quo

_Sorry I have to do this, but there's something I want everyone to be aware of before I begin. These drabbles are simultaneously stand-alone stories and parts of a story arc, alternating between Sakura and Naruto's point of view. These "chapters" will be very short, but I'm asking you to put a little faith in me. I won't let you down._

**Fidelity  
**_Sakura: Status Quo_

After a hard day of work, Sakura could be found in one of two places.

The first was at her family's house. Even at the age of eighteen, she lived with her parents. She simply didn't find it practical to pay for an apartment in which she would spend only a few hours a day, if that.

The second was Uzumaki Naruto's apartment. Aside from her own home, it was the only place where she felt she could enter unannounced. A few months ago, Naruto had even given her a spare key in case she somehow managed to get locked out of her own house.

Today was one such day. Sakura left the key to her home in her locker at the hospital. Fortunately, she kept the one to Naruto's apartment on a chain around her neck. This raised a few eyebrows, but she waved away people's curiosity by explaining that it was a back-up plan, and by nature back-up plans should be pretty sure-fire.

While Sakura really wanted to trudge into her own house and drink a cup of her mother's strong tea, she was forced to crash at her best friend's place instead. When she arrived, the door was (predictably) unlocked, even though the tenant wasn't home. She entered and went straight to the refrigerator. Seeing nothing that sparked her interest, she got a glass of water and made a bee-line for the comfortable couch near the front door.

She and Naruto bought the couch about a year ago. The sight of them buying furniture together had resulted in quite a few rumors, but Sakura felt obligated to help pay for something in the apartment, since she spent so much time there. She sank into the couch and made plans not to move until it was absolutely necessary. If she fell asleep, she knew from experience that she would wake up the next morning tucked in a blanket that wasn't there before.

Sakura had finished her glass of water and had begun to doze off when Naruto returned. She curled her legs up so that he could share the couch with her, which he did gratefully.

"Tough day?" He asked tiredly, taking off his jacket. Sakura gave him a ghost of a smile.

"Looks like you had worse," she said. She rested her chin on her knees. "Tell me about it."

"It was boring. I could've used someone to talk to," he replied, eyes closed.

"Same," Sakura paused. "A training mission must have gone wrong, because we had a lot of genin in today." She stopped, thinking that Naruto had drifted off. A moment later, he spoke again.

"Anyone I know?"

Naruto asked her that question often. Fortunately, Sakura rarely had to say yes, but when she did, Naruto would be in the next day to visit. "I don't think so. I hardly recognize any of the younger ones anymore."

Naruto looked at her with one eye open and smirked. "We're getting old, huh?"

* * *

_A/N: Uber-thanks go to Suzie "The Sex" Q for beta-ing and hanging out in my dorm room while I tried to tweak this little number. And you, dear reader, your comments are both welcome and appreciated._


	2. Naruto: Dynamics

**Fidelity  
**_Naruto: Dynamics_

The night was one of the "more the merrier" variety, which found a few former classmates at a small club just outside the market. It wasn't so much that anyone involved was particularly close. It was simply the way the night air curled around shops and people, soothing them into a sense of security and affability.

Kiba tried (and failed) to get Sakura and Ino to dance. He settled for dragging Shikamaru out of his seat so that the two could shuffle their feet awkwardly among the other villagers, leaving Chouji and the others to laugh at the sight.

As they had gathered, so they dispersed over the course of the night. One by one, each was called away by want or need in proportion to the rest of the crowd. Two a.m. was creeping close when Shikamaru finally bowed out of his round-robin of witticism with Sakura and Naruto, leaving them alone in the corner where the group began the night.

A comfortable moment followed his departure, filled only by the softening music pumping through speakers.

"He forgot to leave money for his part of the bill," Sakura told Naruto, breaking the silence. She snorted. "Typical."

Quiet fell again. Naruto watched Sakura tap her fingers against her glass as she focused intently on what remained of her drink. Normally she would have continued their battle of wits. She would have at least attempted a bit of conversation. Was their relationship so different outside the walls of his apartment?

"Something's bothering you," Naruto said, trying to bait his companion into talking. She looked up at him.

"It's not bothering me really," she replied, "it's just…well, tonight was nice. I wish we could do this more often." She shifted uneasily. Before Naruto could even prompt her to continue, words rushed out of her mouth. "I just don't feel as secure as I used to. I know that everyone can take care of themselves, but there's always the possibility that something more than they can handle will come along." Her eyes drifted back to her drink. "I don't want to waste the time we have together.

There were a lot of things that ran through Naruto's head at that moment. Some were kind. _I know. I'm not going anywhere. We all feel the same._

Others were simply honest. _None of this could ever be a waste. We only have as much time as we make. So why do you still play on the safe side?_

Instead Naruto said, "What will be, will be." Sakura smiled at him.

"A proverb? I didn't think you were the type to know those." She rested her chin in one hand thoughtfully. "I wonder how else you're holding out on me."

Naruto smiled back, saying nothing._ If only you knew._


	3. Sakura: It's Just Politics

**Fidelity  
**_Sakura: It's Just Politics_

Peace-filled Konoha. That was a strange thought. But Sakura, like everyone else in the village, looked forward to some down time. The six years of rushing about due to what happened during the Chuunin exams were finally at an end. She would sleep in late, let the stress in her shoulders disappear, and maybe even study electronics. She would renew all those personal relationships that had fallen into disrepair.

Or so she thought, until her weekly lesson with Tsunade. The woman was obviously irritated. Or thoughtful. It was hard to tell the difference sometimes.

"What's going on?" Sakura dared. It had been a long time since she had seen Tsunade so riled up.

The Hokage frowned at her student before answering. "Lord Motoyoshi is very ill. The Fire Country's own doctors haven't been able to help." She shuffled some papers on her desk. "They've implied that I should check this out myself as a show of good faith."

"He's dying?" Realization dawned on Sakura. "So that's why things have been so quiet lately." She mulled over the situation in her mind. "Are you going?"

"I don't see an alternative. Konoha can handle itself for at least a few days. And by the time anyone catches wind of my absence, I'll be back." She sighed. "I hate politics."

True to her word, Tsunade left Konoha the next day. With no instructor and no work to be done, Sakura took her long awaited day off, only to be interrupted that evening by her impatient teammate.

Naruto had only just realized that their leader was missing. Sakura gave in to his constant badgering and told him what she could about the situation. Naruto was clearly thinking on this information. His facial expression said that comprehending it all was a major effort.

"Who takes over if he dies?" Naruto asked.

"His brother or his son. Or neither, if the decide to fight about it. Everywhere we turn, it's bad for us."

"Why?"

Sakura wondered briefly if Naruto had ever actually passed his social studies exams. "Lord Motoyoshi's brother is experienced, but very suspicious of anyone he doesn't know personally, especially ninja. Same with the Daimyo's son, though he has far less experience. And if the heirs to the Fire Country are fighting, who do we support?" Naruto stared at her blankly. "Well, there's more to it than that, I suppose."

"Still, it sounds complicated."

"If you're going to be Hokage, you had better get used to it."

Naruto grinned widely. "You think I'll make it, huh?"

And strangely enough, she did.

* * *

_A/N: I'd like to extend an overdue thank you to Cody (Jiraiya) for letting me feature his power couch in chapter one. I figured it was only right, since that's where the idea for this story was born. And more mad props to my beta, The Sex. Thanks also to the two reviewers from last time. _

_I'd like to ask a favor of all readers: if you see me getting too fluffy or "girly" with my writing, let me know. While this is a sort-of-love story, I don't want it to turn into a series of gratuitous "aw" moments._


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